DETROIT LIONS: Stopping Eagles' LeSean McCoy key

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) rushes agains the Green Bay Packers during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

“We have an opportunity. We have to go out and play well, we know that,’’ quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “We have a challenge by going on the road this week. Philadelphia is playing their best football of the season these last four weeks on defense by keeping the score down and on offense by putting up a lot of points. It’s a good recipe for success.’’

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The Lions are 3-3 on the road this season, but lost a heart-breaker to Pittsburgh three weeks ago.

Meanwhile the Eagles (7-5) have won four straight and five of their last six.

They depend on their run game, ranked second in the NFL, which is powered by LeSean McCoy (232 carries, 1,088 yards).

“I think they are more of a running team,’’ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said. “I think it would be a discredit if you didn’t use that running game to your advantage because it’s obviously going to open up that passing game for you and for their quarterback Nick Foles to throw the touchdowns that he has thrown.”

Stopping the run is key. The Eagles haven’t come up against a run defense like the Lions’ which is ranked third in the league.

“They stretch the whole field horizontally with their run game. (McCoy) can run inside and he can run outside. ... He also can run with power and he can break tackles,’’ Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. “As has been made of (Nick) Foles and 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions, that run game is really what keeps them going and allows them to do some of the things they do and no huddle puts a lot of pressure on the defense.’’

The Lions’ run defense has been effective, but has also given up some blockbuster runs including Vikings’ Adrian Peterson 78-yard touchdown and Bears’ Matt Forte 53-yard touchdown run.

“It was more those kind of plays that were keeping the numbers up and things like that. I think over the rest of the time I thought we have been pretty good playing the run,’’ Schwartz said.

Eagles coach Chip Kelly knows what his offense is up against in the Lions’ run defense.

“Extremely stout. Obviously very, very physical starting with the defensive line. Right at the point of attack they can create obviously a lot of disruption,’’ Kelly said. “The blocking scheme is because of their ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage. Two outstanding linebackers in (DeAndre) Levy and (Stephen) Tulloch. They kind of seem to get a lot of free runs because of what the defensive line does to make plays and make tackles. They are playing well in the back end.”

If the Lions are successful at stopping the run, then they have to worry about quarterback Nick Foles who has thrown 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions.

“Our whole offense is based on what the defense can give us,’’ Kelly said. “I’ll throw it 1,000 times a game and I’ll run it a 1,000 times a game. It depends on what the situation is.”

About the Author

Paula Pasche is a longtime sports writer for The Oakland Press and blogs at http://oplions.blogspot.com/. Author of book, "100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die." Follow on Tout and Twitter @paulapasche. Reach the author at paula.pasche@oakpress.com
or follow Paula on Twitter: @PaulaPasche.